Chapter 34

Lucy stood, still frozen on the spot as she pressed on with her gaze on Leo. For a brief moment, the world seemed to narrow down to just the two of them, the distance between them feeling simultaneously too far and too close. The connection grew stronger as she watched him, like it's pulling her forward like an invisible thread connecting them. But within a split second , she wagged her head and grunted as Leo wasn’t alone. Just behind him, Ethan stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Their eyes met for a fleeting second, but Lucy looked away. Isabella was also there, her presence, a figure that portrayed resentment.

She took a glance at Leo and had her thoughts *Why is he just standing there?* she wondered, her thoughts racing. *Why isn’t he asking about me? Does he even care?*

Marie had told her that Leo had been the one to instruct Ethan to take care of her, to ensure her safety. She had clung to that thought in her moments of fear and uncertainty, believing that it meant something—that Leo cared enough to intervene. But now, seeing him in front of her, silent and distant, she couldn’t reconcile his presence with the image she had created in her mind. *If he cares, why isn’t he showing it?* The question burned in her mind as she felt a pang of hurt and confusion.

Leo’s gaze was intense, but he remained rooted to the spot, his face a mask of control. He wanted to say something, anything, to break the silence that hung so heavily between them. He wanted to ask Lucy how she was, to apologize for not coming sooner, to explain why he hadn’t been able to see her. But the words stuck in his throat, trapped by years of conditioning that told him to stay strong, to not show vulnerability, especially not in front of Isabella. *I can’t show weakness,* he thought, frustration bubbling up inside him. *Not here, not now.*

He had always been taught that emotions were dangerous, that they could be used against him if he wasn’t careful. And with Isabella watching, he felt like he was under a microscope, every move scrutinized. *I can’t let her see how much I care,* he reminded himself, though it felt like he was ripping his own heart out by doing so.

Isabella, standing just a few steps away from Leo, noticed the way he looked at Lucy, and it only deepened her resentment. *Why did she have to wake up?* she thought bitterly, her jaw clenching as jealousy and anger simmered beneath the surface. Lucy’s presence was an affront to her, a constant reminder of the one thing she couldn’t control—Leo’s feelings. She wished, more than anything, that Lucy had stayed unconscious, or better yet, that she had never woken up at all.

Isabella, never one to let such an opportunity slip by, decided to break the silence that hung in the air. She cleared her throat, the sound sharp and jarring in the stillness, before speaking in a tone that dripped with false concern.

“Well,” she began, her eyes flicking to Leo with a calculating gleam, “I see you’ve finally come to check on your little maid, Leo. How thoughtful of you.”

Leo sighed, his expression tightening at Isabella’s words. He could hear the underlying venom in her voice, the way she twisted everything to suit her narrative. It infuriated him, but he knew he couldn’t show it. He had to stay calm, had to keep his emotions in check, even if it felt like he was suffocating under the weight of it all. *She’s baiting me,* he reminded himself, forcing his voice to remain steady. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his tone measured. “Shouldn’t you be preparing for Aiden’s arrival?”

Isabella’s smile widened at Leo's words that sounded to her like a question, a smug look crossing her face. “And what about you, Leo?” she countered smoothly. “Shouldn’t you be preparing too? Or have you just come to order your maid around?”

Her words were like a knife, cutting into the tension with a deliberate precision. She knew exactly what she was doing, pushing Leo’s buttons, testing his limits. She wanted to see if she could provoke him, to see if she could make him slip up, but Leo remained composed, his expression unreadable. *She’s right,* he thought bitterly, the realization twisting in his gut. *Lucy is just a maid. I can’t show favoritism, not here, not now.*

It didn’t matter that every fiber of his being wanted to protect Lucy, to shield her from Isabella’s cruelty. The rules were clear, the expectations even clearer. And Leo knew that if he openly defied those rules, there would be consequences—not just for him, but for Lucy as well.

Ethan tapped Leo and pressed his palm against his shoulder in an attempt to calm him, fully aware of what Isabella was trying to do. Ethan knew Leo so well and could tell when he was trying to hold back his anger from losing himself. Leo took a brief look at Ethan and nodded his head. 

Isabella watched Leo closely, finding every word to use to provoke him to speak up. She tilted her head to notice every flicker of emotion he tried to hide. It amused her to see him so composed but yet knew he was conflicted and so torn between his duty and his emotions. She was glad she had him right where she wanted him, and she relished in the control she held over the situation. 

Isabella added as she smiled sweetly even though her eyes remained cold, “Since Lucy is now awake, it’s about time she gets back to work.” She paused and smiled devilishly. “Or, can't you, Lucy?” She questioned as she directed her gaze to Lucy. Lucy nodded and slightly bowed her head in response to Isabella's question. 

“I thought as much…” she sighed. “Don’t worry, Leo. I won’t stress her too much. After all, we wouldn’t want her fainting again, would we?”

Lucy felt a surge of anger at Isabella’s words, but yet, her expression was neutral, her eyes never leaving Leo’s. *She’s playing games,* Lucy thought, her fists clenching at her sides as she struggled to maintain her composure. *She’s trying to provoke him, trying to provoke me.* But there was nothing she could do, nothing she could say without making things worse for both of them.

Marie had no say so she kept mute and could only watch as Isabella rattled on with her words. Ethan, who had been silently observing the exchange, finally stepped forward, his gaze flicking between Leo and Isabella. He could see the tension in Leo, the way he was struggling to keep his emotions in check, and it bothered him. It wasn’t like Leo to hold back, to restrain himself like this, and Ethan couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. But he knew there was nothing he could do—not here, not now.

The silence stretched on, heavy and oppressive, until Isabella gave a small, satisfied nod. “Well, I’ll leave you to do your own part of the job, Leo,” she said lightly. “Marie… Lucy, meet me in my chamber.” She ordered, turned on her heel to take her leave. But before she walked away, she threw one last glance at Lucy, her smile widening in a way that made Lucy’s skin crawl. “And remember, Lucy,” she added, her voice soft but with an edge that couldn’t be ignored, “you’re expected to be at your best tonight. Don’t let us down.”

With that, Isabella turned and walked away, her steps light and confident as if she had just won a battle no one else had been aware of. The sound of her heels clicking against the floor echoed down the hallway, gradually fading into silence as she disappeared around a corner.

Leo, Ethan, and Lucy remained where they were, the tension still hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break. Leo’s gaze met Lucy’s once more but at that moment, Leo looked away, his face expressionless and mean.

“You heard her, you must be at your best tonight… So, get to work already.” Leo flickered his eyes. “Same goes for you also, Marie.” He shook his head, his voice cold.

Lucy’s heart ached at the sound of his voice. *``How can he be my mate? There must have been a mistake… he can't be, no he can't.``* She thought as she sulked in her own sorrows. She had seen the way he held back, the way he allowed Isabella to speak to her without saying a word in her defense. It hurt more than she cared to admit. *He can’t protect me, how can he be my mate?* she thought, a cold sense of reality settling over her like a weight.

Just as she was pondering, she was startled by the sound of Leo's name being called just a few distance away from where she was. She looked up and noticed how Leo left with Ethan to meet the guard that was coming their way.